This is what happens when babies have babies -- they lose their minds. And yes, 23 years old is too young to have three babies, one of them 5 years old, meaning Yvonne Rodriguez had her first child at 18 years old. Yep, I'm passing judgment. Rodriguez's other children are 2 and 3 years old. And the children's tough lives are already beginning. She's been arrested for leaving her 5-year-old home to babysit her other two toddlers while she went shopping at Best Buy and had her nails done. Rodriguez may not be a cruel mother, but she's an irresponsible one.
Police showed up at Rodriguez's home and waited two hours for her to return from her leisurely time out. (Not in much of a hurry to get back, obviously.) The little 5-year-old boy who has been invested with far too much responsibility for his age greeted police with the heartbreaking comment, "Policemen, mommy is not here. I’m watching my sisters. Can you watch us now?"
Exactly. Poor child is desperate for a mature adult in his life.
Rodriguez first lied and said she'd asked a friend to care for the children, but then finally fessed up that she had left the eldest to care for the youngest because she thought he was "mature enough" to watch his younger sisters.
There's no way in hell a 5-year-old is mature enough to be responsible for anyone, no matter how mature he seems. And perhaps some 5-year-olds DO seem mature. I was such a mature kid that I wasn't much older than this when I was put in charge of watching my younger sister -- and even some kids from the neighborhood. And, honestly, it's pure luck that nothing major happened, like a fire breaking out, or one of the kids choking, or god forbid, an adult breaking in with bad intentions, because I don't know that I would have known what to do. I also was born to very young parents who just didn't have a clue about some things, I'm afraid.
Anyway, these three children were sent to stay with their grandparents while the mom was charged with three counts of child neglect. (Things are much stricter these days!)
I hope the mom has learned her lesson, but I fear these three kids are in for rough ride.
Do you think a 5-year-old is mature enough to babysit? What is the youngest babysitter you've had?
Image via Osceola County Sheriff's Office
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Comments 229
I agree with the writers statement that she is too young to have babies. Young moms can say how mature and responsible they are but they are still too young. Life experience and age do make a difference. You will understand this when you are older and your kids are young adults.
I am not saying that all young moms are bad moms, I think that young mothers have a harder time ahead. If you wait to have kids you are more likely to be mature and also financially stable to support a family. Do you know any young mothers who do not struggle financially? I don't. There are so many reasons to wait to have kids and everyone with any sense would agree. I get so frustrated seeing teens popping out kids because society accepts it. Go to college, have fun, get married and enjoy couple time with your husband and then have kids.
I am not saying that having kids at a young age is ideal. Not everyone is cut out to a parent no matter how old they are. No one should ever glorify having children at a young age. That however does not mean that every young mother deserves to be lumped into the same category. I did go to college. I worked full time, took 18 credit hours and was still a mom. It was not easy and I have never claimed it was. I did not intend to have 3 children by the time I was 20 but it happened. People like this woman make me sick because they make all young mothers look bad and irresponsible. I know that most teenagers aren't ready to be parents. I just ask that not all young mothers get lumped together. Some of us have sacrificed and fought to give our kids what they need just like other parents.